What is Inflammasome?

Definition – The inflammasomes are innate immune system receptors and

sensors that regulate the activation of caspase-1 and induce inflammation in response to infectious microbes and molecules derived from host proteins¹.

These are an important component of Innate immunity because they can recognize the molecules released by the pathogen even without any previous exposure from such molecules. The recognition triggers the following chain of events –

The Ultimate result is cell death due to Pyroptosis.

Image Attribution

• CASP-1: By Emw – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
• Mechanism of Inflammasome action: Dr. Arnab Mukherjee

Reference

• 1. Inflammasomes: Mechanism of Action, Role in Disease and Therapeutics,

Further Reading

• Pyroptosis – One type of Inflammatory cell death
• Caspase.
• The cell biology of inflammasomes: Mechanisms of inflammasome activation and regulation

Author

Dr. Arnab Mukherjee